Organizarea administrativă a Scaunului Orăştiei între 1867-1914

The administrative organisation of the district ofOrastie between 1867-1914

Autor: Marius Bârlianu

Orastie is situated in a favourable geographical position, on the middle course of The Mures Valley, between very important centers for the south-west of Transylvania (Deva, Sibiu, Alba-Iulia), being surrounded by numerous villages on both banks of the Mures River, The Gradiste Valley and, in some periods, even farther. The town has been included in different forms of administrative and political organisation. The territory of Orastie was included in the administrative and political organization of the Saxons living in Transylvania until the final territorial organization of the Hungarian state in 1876.

The setting up of the Saxon town of Orastie is directly related to the Saxon and Teutonic Knights’ settlement in Transylvania, which is part of an ample process of German colonization of Central and Eastern Europe that took place between the 10th and 14th centuries. The organization of Orastie was mentioned for the first time in a document dated 14 July 1349. Depending on different events of the time, on political and economical reasons, the Austrian Empire performed a series of modifications within the district, but also regarding its belonging to certain administrative units that were larger. In time, Orastie as a capital town, provine and small rural district, has accumulated and hosted a number of institutions.

After 1876, when the royal land was abolished and included in the new counties, Orastie was transformed into one of the 10 small rural districts belonging to Hunedoara County. Suffering a few modifications in the organizational structure and territorial division, Orastie has continuity on the territory and functioned until 1918, when Transylvania was united to Romania.